Kelsey K. Sewell, PhD

Professional Background

Kelsey Sewell, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Neurology with the University of Kansas Medical Center. A faculty member since 2017, she supervises and trains psychiatry resident physicians, medical students and psychology trainees. She also provides assessment, psychotherapy, coordination of care, and other support for patients receiving care at The University of Kansas Health System's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center. Additionally, she conducts psychological evaluations for patients considered for deep brain stimulation (DBS), neurosurgery for epilepsy, and focused ultrasound.

Dr. Sewell earned a doctorate in clinical psychology with a health psychology and behavioral medicine specialization from the University of Utah in 2016. After a one-year predoctoral internship in behavioral medicine at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, she finished a year-long postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center in clinical health and onco-psychology. She also has a master's degree in clinical psychology from the University of Utah and a bachelor's degree in psychology and women's studies from the University of Kansas.

Dr. Sewell's professional interests include improving behavioral health, medical adherence, and quality of life; individual and dyadic approaches to coping with serious illness; behavioral and psychological strategies for improving management of medical conditions, psychiatric conditions, sleep, and sexual health across the lifespan.

In addition to being a popular invited lecturer and speaker, Dr. Sewell holds membership in the Kansas Psychological Association, where she serves as membership chair, and is a founding member of the University of Kansas Medical Center Early Psychology Faculty Support Group.

• BS, Psychology, Women's Studies, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
• MS, Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
• PhD, Clinical Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
• Internship, Clinical Psychology, Behavioral Medicine Track, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Clinical Health Psychology , The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

• Licensed Psychologist, Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board

• Kansas Psychological Association , Chair, 2019 - Present
• KUMC Psychology Division , Psychology Internship Selection Committee, Member, 2018 - Present
• American Psychological Association Division 38, Society for Health Psychology, Member, 2017 - Present
• Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies , Member, 2017 - Present
• Kansas Psychological Association , Member, 2016 - Present
• Society of Behavioral Medicine, Member, 2016 - Present
• American Psychological Association , Member, 2010 - Present

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• Holmes, Laura., G, Himle, Michael., B, Sewell, Kelsey., K, Carbone, Paul., S, Strassberg, Donald., S. 2014. Addressing sexuality in youth with autism spectrum disorders: Current pediatric practices and barriers. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 35 (3), 172-178
• Henry, Nancy., J, Smith, Timothy., W, Butner, Jon, Berg, Cynthia., A, Sewell, Kelsey., K. 2015. Marital quality, depressive symptoms, and the metabolic syndrome: A couples’ structural model. Journal of behavioral medicine, 35 (3), 172-178
• Sewell, Kelsey ., K, Strassberg, Donald ., S. 2015. How do heterosexual undergraduate students define having sex? A new approach to an old question. The Journal of Sex Research, 52 (5), 507-516
• Berg, Cynthia., A, Sewell, Kelsey., K, Hughes, Amy., E, Wilson, Stephanie ., J, Bookwala, Jamila . 2016. A developmental perspective to dyadic coping across adulthood., 259-280
• Sewell, Kelsey ., K, McGarrity, Larissa., A, Strassberg, Donald., S. 2017. Sexual behavior, definitions of sex, and the role of self-partner context among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults. The Journal of Sex Research, 54 (7), 825-831
• Strassberg, Donald., S, Zavodni, S., M, Gardner, Paul, Dechet, Chrisopher, Stephenson, R., A, Sewell, Kelsey., K. 2017. Quality of Life Following Prostatectomy as a Function of Surgery Type and Degree of Nerve Sparing. Current Urology, 11 (1), 16-20